A person who secretly observes others to obtain information

• spook

  1. (Informal) A ghost; a specter.
  2. (Slang) A spy or secret agent

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  1. (Informal) A ghost; a specter.
  2. (Slang) A spy or secret agent

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• operative

  1. One who works for a political organization, often wielding influence out of public view.
  2. An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
  3. A secret agent; a spy.

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  1. One who works for a political organization, often wielding influence out of public view.
  2. An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
  3. A secret agent; a spy.

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• agent

  1. One empowered to act for or represent another:
  2. A representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government:
  3. A force or substance that causes a change:

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  1. One empowered to act for or represent another:
  2. A representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government:
  3. A force or substance that causes a change:

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To observe or listen in secret to obtain information

• eavesdrop

  1. To listen secretly to the private conversation of others
  2. To gain access to private electronic communications, as through wiretapping or the interception of e-mail or cell phone calls.
  3. ​To hear a conversation one is not intended to hear; to listen in.

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  1. To listen secretly to the private conversation of others
  2. To gain access to private electronic communications, as through wiretapping or the interception of e-mail or cell phone calls.
  3. ​To hear a conversation one is not intended to hear; to listen in.

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To perceive, especially barely or fleetingly

• spot

  1. To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
  2. To pick out; detect; see; recognize
  3. To become marked with spots:

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  1. To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
  2. To pick out; detect; see; recognize
  3. To become marked with spots:

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• glimpse

  1. To appear by glimpses.
  2. To look quickly; glance (at)
  3. To see or view briefly or incompletely.

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  1. To appear by glimpses.
  2. To look quickly; glance (at)
  3. To see or view briefly or incompletely.

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• espy

  1. To catch sight of (something that is distant, partially hidden, or obscure); glimpse.
  2. (Intransitive) To look or search narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to spy.
  3. To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to see at a glance; to discern unexpectedly; to spy; as, to espy land; to espy a man in a crowd.

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  1. To catch sight of (something that is distant, partially hidden, or obscure); glimpse.
  2. (Intransitive) To look or search narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to spy.
  3. To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to see at a glance; to discern unexpectedly; to spy; as, to espy land; to espy a man in a crowd.

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• discern

  1. To perceive or recognize the difference
  2. To perceive with the eyes; detect or distinguish:
  3. To separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different

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  1. To perceive or recognize the difference
  2. To perceive with the eyes; detect or distinguish:
  3. To separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different

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• detect

  1. To discover or ascertain the existence, presence, or fact of.
  2. To learn something hidden and often improper about:
  3. To catch or discover, as in a misdeed

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  1. To discover or ascertain the existence, presence, or fact of.
  2. To learn something hidden and often improper about:
  3. To catch or discover, as in a misdeed

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• descry

  1. To catch sight of (something difficult to discern).
  2. To catch sight of; discern (distant or obscure objects)
  3. To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect:

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  1. To catch sight of (something difficult to discern).
  2. To catch sight of; discern (distant or obscure objects)
  3. To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect:

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• catch

  1. To go to see (a performance, for example):
  2. To become cognizant or aware of suddenly:
  3. To get (something required), usually quickly or for a brief period:

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  1. To go to see (a performance, for example):
  2. To become cognizant or aware of suddenly:
  3. To get (something required), usually quickly or for a brief period:

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To see

• descry

  1. To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect:
  2. To discover (a distant or obscure object) by the eye; to espy; to discern or detect.
  3. To catch sight of; discern (distant or obscure objects)

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  1. To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect:
  2. To discover (a distant or obscure object) by the eye; to espy; to discern or detect.
  3. To catch sight of; discern (distant or obscure objects)

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• behold

  1. Used in the imperative for the purpose of calling attention.
  2. To hold in view; look at; see; regard

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  1. Used in the imperative for the purpose of calling attention.
  2. To hold in view; look at; see; regard

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• view

  1. To watch (a program, for example) on television.
  2. To think of (something) in a particular way; regard:
  3. To survey or study mentally; consider:

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  1. To watch (a program, for example) on television.
  2. To think of (something) in a particular way; regard:
  3. To survey or study mentally; consider:

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To act as a spy

• fish-out

  1. To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.
  2. (Idiomatic) To search for by rummaging, and then extract (an item from e.g. a container).

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  1. To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.
  2. (Idiomatic) To search for by rummaging, and then extract (an item from e.g. a container).

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• spot

  1. To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
  2. To pick out; detect; see; recognize
  3. To become marked with spots:

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  1. To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
  2. To pick out; detect; see; recognize
  3. To become marked with spots:

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• sleuth

  1. (Informal) To act as a detective
  2. To track or follow.

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  1. (Informal) To act as a detective
  2. To track or follow.

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• heel

  1. (Informal) To provide (a person) with money
  2. (Intransitive) To incline to one side, to tilt (especially of ships).
  3. To follow at one's heels:

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  1. (Informal) To provide (a person) with money
  2. (Intransitive) To incline to one side, to tilt (especially of ships).
  3. To follow at one's heels:

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• gumshoe

  1. To move about stealthily; sneak.
  2. To work as a detective.
  3. To sneak or go about quietly, as a detective; act with stealth

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  1. To move about stealthily; sneak.
  2. To work as a detective.
  3. To sneak or go about quietly, as a detective; act with stealth

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• follow

  1. To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of:
  2. To grasp the meaning or logic of; understand:
  3. To watch or listen to closely; observe

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  1. To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of:
  2. To grasp the meaning or logic of; understand:
  3. To watch or listen to closely; observe

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• trail

  1. To follow the course taken by; pursue:
  2. To drag or let drag behind one, esp. on the ground, etc.
  3. To follow the traces or scent of, as in hunting; track.

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  1. To follow the course taken by; pursue:
  2. To drag or let drag behind one, esp. on the ground, etc.
  3. To follow the traces or scent of, as in hunting; track.

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• hound

  1. To pressure or force from a place or situation:
  2. To hunt or chase with or as with hounds; chase or follow continually; nag
  3. To make repeated demands of or subject to persistent criticism:

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  1. To pressure or force from a place or situation:
  2. To hunt or chase with or as with hounds; chase or follow continually; nag
  3. To make repeated demands of or subject to persistent criticism:

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• set a watch on

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• spy upon

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• pry

  1. To obtain with effort or difficulty:
  2. To raise, move, or force open with a lever.
  3. To look or inquire closely, curiously, or impertinently:

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  1. To obtain with effort or difficulty:
  2. To raise, move, or force open with a lever.
  3. To look or inquire closely, curiously, or impertinently:

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• peer

  1. To be partially visible; show:
  2. To come out or show slightly; come partly into sight
  3. To look closely and searchingly, or squint, as in trying to see more clearly

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  1. To be partially visible; show:
  2. To come out or show slightly; come partly into sight
  3. To look closely and searchingly, or squint, as in trying to see more clearly

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• turn over

  1. (Sports) To give up control (of the ball and thus the ability to score).
  2. Used other than as an idiom: see turn,"Ž over.
  3. To flip over; to rotate uppermost to bottom.

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  1. (Sports) To give up control (of the ball and thus the ability to score).
  2. Used other than as an idiom: see turn,"Ž over.
  3. To flip over; to rotate uppermost to bottom.

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• hunt

  1. To use (dogs or horses) in chasing game
  2. To search eagerly or carefully for; try to find
  3. To search; seek

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  1. To use (dogs or horses) in chasing game
  2. To search eagerly or carefully for; try to find
  3. To search; seek

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• look for

  1. To search; to seek.

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  1. To search; to seek.

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• discover

  1. To learn something about:
  2. To notice or learn, especially by making an effort:
  3. To be the first nonnative person to find, come to, or see (a continent, river, etc.)

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  1. To learn something about:
  2. To notice or learn, especially by making an effort:
  3. To be the first nonnative person to find, come to, or see (a continent, river, etc.)

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• search

  1. To examine closely and carefully; test and try; probe
  2. To examine data in a computer in order to locate items having a given property
  3. To search a place or space in order to find something:

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  1. To examine closely and carefully; test and try; probe
  2. To examine data in a computer in order to locate items having a given property
  3. To search a place or space in order to find something:

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• take-note

  1. To pay attention; to take notice; to note

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  1. To pay attention; to take notice; to note

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• scrutinize

  1. To audit accounts etc in order to verify them.
  2. To examine something with great care.
  3. To look at very carefully; examine closely; inspect minutely

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  1. To audit accounts etc in order to verify them.
  2. To examine something with great care.
  3. To look at very carefully; examine closely; inspect minutely

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• examine

  1. To question formally, as to elicit facts or information; interrogate:
  2. To determine the qualifications, aptitude, or skills of by means of questions or exercises:
  3. To test by carefully questioning in order to find out the knowledge, skill, qualifications, etc. of (a student, witness, job applicant, etc.)

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  1. To question formally, as to elicit facts or information; interrogate:
  2. To determine the qualifications, aptitude, or skills of by means of questions or exercises:
  3. To test by carefully questioning in order to find out the knowledge, skill, qualifications, etc. of (a student, witness, job applicant, etc.)

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• watch

  1. To guard, keep surveillance on, or spy on:
  2. To observe the course of mentally; keep up on or informed about:
  3. To look at steadily; observe carefully or continuously:

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  1. To guard, keep surveillance on, or spy on:
  2. To observe the course of mentally; keep up on or informed about:
  3. To look at steadily; observe carefully or continuously:

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• observe

  1. To be or become aware of, especially through careful and directed attention; notice:
  2. To watch or be present without participating actively:
  3. To watch attentively:

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  1. To be or become aware of, especially through careful and directed attention; notice:
  2. To watch or be present without participating actively:
  3. To watch attentively:

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• scout

  1. To look for; watch
  2. To find or get by looking around
  3. To go out in search of information about the enemy; reconnoiter

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  1. To look for; watch
  2. To find or get by looking around
  3. To go out in search of information about the enemy; reconnoiter

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